Wolf's Family
by Mikerfur
Summary: Wolf has now grown old and is happily married with grandchildren, as he nears the sunset of his life, he tells them about him meeting their grandmother, raising children, and dealing with growing old as he makes peace with the world before he departs.
1. Chapter 1

The Log cabin in the middle of the forest was a cozy place. It was where the retire HEA agent Wolf W Wolf now resided. The living room was the centerpiece of the house and was

where the happily married grandfather mainly spent his time with his grandchildren. One wintry night, Wolf had his grandchildren over for the night and was about to tell them

their favorite bedtime story when one of them had stumbled across his family photo album, and had asked him to

tell them the stories surrounding the captured moments of time pasted on the pages.

"Tell us a story Grampa!" said the cheerful little Wolf as the elderly Wolf slowly sat down his cane and plopped on his favorite squishy lazy-boy chair while his wife came in with a

tray of chocolate chip cookies. The retired HEA agent took a cookie as his two grandchildren, the boy William and the girl Anna sat down on his lap. His wife took out their thick

family photo album and handed it to her husband. Opening it, the first picture showed Wolf and his Wife dancing behind a giant lit tree at the HEA christmas party, a photo of him

laying in the hospital flipping off the camera with a tired smirk, and a picture of the couple standing in front of the log cabin they still resided in since their wedding. As they sat

together in the living room, his wife sitting next to him in her favorite wooden rocking chair and Anna in his lap. As he flipped through the photos, his wife broke the cozy silence.

"I remember you being in that same hospital the first time you got hurt working for the HEA." Wolf W. Wolfs' wife Anne said tapping the hospital photo with her claw as she shifted

her glasses. Wolf's chocolate brown eyes drifted dreamily from the thick plastic frames of his glasses. He looked at both of his grandchildren as they gasped "you were hurt twice

Grandpa?" Anna said as her bright green eyes widened.

"Yes, I was" he said with a hearty laugh as he kissed her on the top of the head."The first time that I was injured working for the HEA was when I very first met your

grandmother," he said. "Seeing as both your parents need some alone time and you will be staying the night here, I might as well tell you about the Wolf family history starting

with me getting shot the first time." he said abandoning the typical bedtime story he was about to tell them. "You see it all began when me and my partner Red Pucket both had

to go looking for some crook who was trying to raise some sort of malitia..."

The human with the hood over his head and a messenger's satchel pulled out his hndgun on the two strangers who were chasing him down the night time city street, with a click,

the iron sights focused on the chocolate brown-furred wolf in his early thirties.

"Look man, I don't want to have to do this," the brown-haired human said focusing it as they moved closer.

"Look," the twenty-four year old Wolf said taking another slow step, "just put it down, give us the messages, and we will be on our way," he took another step reaching out his

paw.

"LAST WARNING!" he shouted.

Then, Red pulled out her own hadgun, (turning 18 and being at both their experience level, they were both now carrying guns).

BANG!

The sound of the gun deafened Wolf and the impact and pain in his abdomen made him double over and fall onto the pavement, the human fired more shots at Red, who took

cover behind a dumpster, before running away. Wolf, still grasping his stomach, took one of his paws away and looked at it only to see his brown paw smeared in his own blood.

His brown eyes looked at Red who was now kneeling by her bleeding partner as she called for a medic via her iphone. His vision began to fade, as the street turned fuzzy, and

every noise had an echoe, he just grew tired, very tired. And just as everything was turning black, he saw the medic run up to him and place the oxygen mask over his muzzle as

Red's frantic "Wolf! Stay awake!" slowly died away and he then thonked his head down and passed out.


	2. Chapter 2: when He met Her

Chapter 2: When Me met Her.

The morning sunlight poured into the quiet hospital room. He only felt tired and sleepy as he slowly opened his eyes with a groan. He could barely move due ot the effects of the

aneasthesia and just simply rolled his eyes to the right and left. To the right, he saw the breathing machine and IV bag along with a very concerned Red looking at him with a

sense of sympathy. She was a tough one, but she really did care about her co-worker and friend. To the left, he saw the ball of caffeine Twitchy watching the tv, probably not even

noticing his best friend had just woken up.

"Wolf," she said softly putting her hand on his left paw while also avoiding the IV tubes connected to it.

"hmmm?" he said.

"How're you feeling big guy?"

"ssleepy...very sleepy" Wolf slurred as his eyelids just grew heavier by the second.

Red gave his paw a gentle squeeze and got up, "you go on ahead and rest then," she said "we will still be here by the time you wake up or shortly after."

Wolf nodded and closed his eyes again and as he began to fade to sleep he heard another, unrecognized female voice.

About five hours later, a slightly more awake Wolf was flipping through the channels on the tv in fornt of his bed, he wished that a nurse or someone would come by, he was

freezing,only wearing his underwear under the paper-thin gown, these "blankets" felt like paper sheets instead of comforters.

As he finally found what he was looking for (a South Park episode) he put the remote down onto his stomach and settled back down while trying his best to get warm. He wanted

desperately to just rip out these IV tubes as he tried to itch his hand.

That is when he met her.

He heard the female voice from earlier come though his door, looking up, he saw a gorgeous she-wolf. Her jet black fur glistened in the sun as he jade green eyes looked at her

patient. She came in with a tray of food as the tongue-tied Wolf jsut merely stared. She smiled back at him as she saw his look. She liked this wolf, it was the first male wolf she

had treated that didn't want to try to either hit her or treated her like a maid. She laid the tray of food on his lap and after checking his IV, she turned around to leave and right as

she got to the door frame.

"Uhh-I-I didn't get your-," said Wolf unnecessarily loud.

"Anne," she said before he could finish, "Anne Canis" she with a sly smile before she gave him one last flirting look before walking out of the room.

The awestruck Wolf whistled quietly to himself. Smiling, he flipped on the tv and started to dig into his plastic-tasting meatloaf, a jet of brown zoomed onto the small table next to

his bed. Wolf, without even looking away from the tv, calmly grabbed the "get well soon" cards before they could have been blown off by Twitchy.

"How're you doing Twitch?" he said brightly as he started to watch a re-run of Mythbusters.

"I'dfiguredI'dcomeandseeya" the squirrel said.

"That's nice Twitchy" he said moving away from the meatloaf and opening the can of forest dew they had given him, all of his co-workers at the HEA had always been facinated by

how Wolf could somehow alwaysunderstand what his best friend was saying.

"What'supboss?" Twitchy said as he peeked really close into the wolf's chocolate brown eyes, only causing him to laugh quietly, "don't worry Twitch," he said, " I think I might

just be in love"  
>****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************. The photo album slowly closed shut as Wolf finished. "Alright kids time for bed." he said as he gave them both a kiss on the forehead, Anna, the youngest, had already fallen<p>

asleep in her grandfather's lap. Asthe large wooden grandfather clock chimed he handed Anne the album as she gave him his black wooden cane and with a yawn to himself, he

rose up from the recliner with his granddaughter in his free arm. "I'm gonna hit the sack too" he said as the dark circles under the elderly wolf's eyes became more noticeable in

the dim lamplight. Anne merely smiled at her tired husband as he walked out of the living room with grandchild in tow before turning off the lights, encasing the wolf home in

peaceful darkness.

THAT'S MY FIRST INSTALLMENT! OTHER ONES WILL COME LATER.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3: The Father's Welcome

**Here is chapter 3, it gets a little sad though depending on how easy it is to make you cry, so be warned. There's no violence or anyting**

**just an eplanation of Wolf's childhood and the beginning of his family.**

**Enjoy**

The channels flipped constantly on the television as Wolf laid back in his lazy boy. His aching knees were really starting to bother him today and

he just turned sixty-five so he was just sittting down today. His whole muzzle now completely covered in grey fur. Shifting his glasses, he looked and

smiled at his napping wife laying down quietly on the sofa covered in the dark red afghan. The door to the cabin opened and his daghter, Emily walked in

carrying a birthday cake. 

"Hey Emily, he said pleasantly as she came and kissed her father on the cheek. "Happy Birthday Dad." she said before walking into the kitchen to set the

cake down. She returned and quietly sat next to him. 

For a while, they were both quietly watching the news, the warm and yet cool spring breeze ruffling the curtains next to the open window. Causing the

whole cabint to smell like the newly bloomed cherry blosoms right outside. "So are the kids coming?" he asked, "Yeah, Jerry just needs to pick them up

from school" Emily said as she looked at the picture sitting on tip of the tv. It showed a much younger Wolf, dressed in a pristine black suit, his face full

of youth and rigor dancing with her much younger mother in her wispy wedding gown. Underneath the picture showed the words, "grow old with me, the

best is yet to be". 

Noticing his Emily looking at his wedding photograph, he spoke "Twitchy made that for me as a wedding gift" he said stretching back on the chair, "I

remember what I had to do to get your mother to marry me, I had to visit your grandfather for the first time," he said leaning back and folding his hands

on his not big but plump from age belly.

"How was that like anyway? I've always heard you and mom joking about you and grandpa. But I never really get what you guys are always talking

about." Emily said leaning in to listen to her father. "As you know, as is wolf custom, the man that wants a relationship with a female must first get

approval from her father. Really to make sure that he is able to take care of his daughter if they should take it to the next step. Me and your mother had

been going out for about a year when we decided that we were probably going to advance in out relationship. So I had ot visit her family, just like Jerry

had to talk to me when you two were about to be engaged. Except your grandfather was much more intimidating."

Wolf was walking up to the steps of the small cave nestled near the river in the forest. He and Anna both stopped in front of the dark wooden

door. "I still don't see why we have to come to your parents house, I mean we're like in our late twenties for crying out loud" sighed Wolf as they walked

up the sotne stpes. "How do I look?" a slightly nervous and irritated Wolf asked as he looked at his dark blue jeans, black HEA t-shirt and casual suit

jacket, he was even wearing cologne, a very rare thing for Wolf to do. 

"You look fine," Anna reassured her boyfriend as she lightly patted her paws on his chest. She gave him a kiss on the top of his muzzle,"Don't worry, I

told Dad not to be too harsh on you, he knows this is the first real relationship you've been in. But I have to warn you, he is a little rough on the edges,

but that's just from his time in the Army, he really is a nice guy. I'm sure you two will be fine." She said with a smile before knocking on the door. 

After a little while, they heard shuffling of feet and the door opened to reveal an older femal wolf with grass-green eyes wearing a thick pair of

glasses and covered in dark brown fur. "Anna," she said smiling as she hugged her daughter, "So nice to have you over." 

"Hey Mom" said Anna as they finally seperated. "Mom," Anna said gesturing towards Wolf, "this is Wolf, Wolf, this is my mother Francine"  
>"We've been anxious to meet you" she said happily as they shook hands, "my husband Frederik would love to talk to you before we eat, I hope you like<p>

steak Mr. Wolf" she said beconing them in. 

"Sounds good Mrs. Canis." he said as they crossed the threshold into the cave. 

The walls were covered in a type of pine wood. Native to their area, a dark red carpet led down a hallway where there were several doors, the

kitchen was at the very end of the hallway, the living room in the middle of the hall and the bedrooms and office were in other doorways, all branching

from the same hallway. As they walked down the hallway, Wolf broke the silence "so how long has your family lived here?" he asked politely. "For

nearly one hundred years our family has lived in this cave" she said, "it's the only cave-home remaining in the area. Most of them being converted into

military bases during World War II" They finally reached another door near the kitchen and stopped. "Okay here we are," she said before knocking on

the door, "Yes?" came a deep male voice. "It's Anna's suitor Frederick." she said with a hint of seriousness all of a sudden. "Suitor?" thought Wolf

indignantly. 

"Tell him to come on in" said the voice behind the door. She smiled at Wolf and opened the door to let hime in, but not before sweetly whispering "Don't

let him scare you too much dear,". 

Wolf walked in and as they closed the door behind him, he realised why she said that. He wasn't in a living room, but a study. Books lined the

walls adorned with paintings and family pictures. A picture of an army platoon sat on the desk in the far corner next to a burning fire in the fireplace

where two armchairs stood. What got Wolf's attention the most was the collecting of firearms (some military grade) hanging on top of the fireplace. Wolf

looked at the older wolf looking at him from one of the armchairs, he was muscular and tall, with jet black fur. A pair of dark brown eyes scanned him as

he puffed on a wooden pipe. Wolf could see now why so many males were intimidated by him. He had an air of just pure masculinity that with his black

fur made him almost downright terrifying. 

"Please, sit" he said between puffs of smoke indicating the opposite armchair. 

Wolf sat down awkwardly and faced Mr. Canis. According to wolf ediquette he did not look Mr. Canis directly in the eye. A sign of challenge and

disrespect in their own home. 

"My daughter Anna seems very interested in you." his deep voice boomed. "Ever since she met you in the hospital with a bullet in you she has always had

an interest in you and obviously you have an interest in her." This was more of a statement, not a question. "Mind, my Annie no longer lives with us, being

a full grown woman. But I still look out for my daughter. All of us in the Canis family look out for each other." 

Wolf shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the pipe smoke was starting to irritate his sensitive sense of smell. 

After looking at him for a little bit, he spoke again, "how close are you to your family...Mr...?" 

"Wolf," answered Wolf, "just Wolf." 

"And your first name, son?" 

"Wolf as well." he said scratching the back of his head. 

"That's an odd name combination." Mr. Canis said cocking an eyebrow. 

"My middle name's William, but everyone calls me Wolf." 

"Interesting," he said taking another puff at his pipe. "But back to my previous question, how close are you to your family? I mean how close do all

members of your family stick together is what I really mean." 

"Well," said Wolf a little shamedly, "I never really knew my parents, or anyone else really. I don't even know if they're even alive honestly." 

Mr. Canis scowled but remained silent. After making sure Mr. Canis wasn't going to speak, he continued. "You see, I was actually raised in an

orphanage for as long as I can remember." 

Mr. Canis looked as if he were about to swallow his pipe. His eyes grew wide with disbelief. Within wolves, abandoning a cub is the most

horrible act that can be committed, no matter the circumstances. "Your mother abandoned you on the steps of an orphanage? What was your father

doing at the time?" he growled. Wolf shrank a bit under the intense glare and low growls coming from Mr. Canis. "What kind of mother would do

such a thing to her cub?" 

"She didn't ditch me and pretend nothing ever happened." said Wolf defensively, making Mr. Canis squint his eyes, 'maybe he might be the right choice

for her' . "My father was in on it too. He went with her to the orphanage. They left me a photograph with me, my parents and what I think is my

grandmother on it, on the back it said 'when you are old enough you will understand...we couldn't take care of you, we had no choice...we will come

back for you someday... know that we will always love you'. They probably weren't able to financially take care of me and had no choice but to give me

to the orphanage. Sister Whitetail, the nun, told me that my mother couldn't stop bawling and my father was barely even able to speak, let alone look her

in the eye and tell her he wasn't able to provide for his family. They gave me one last hug and explained everything to her. Told her to keep me safe, and

that they will come back for me when my dad was able to get a good-paying job and not put me up for adoption for that very reason. I was eight months

old." Wolf said, his ears drooped down after he retold this tale and sighed the type of sigh whenever one tries to hide true pain, but still avoided the now

softened eyes of Mr. Canis. Whose pipe smoke still trailed from his still muzzle.

"Do you ever feel angry about this?" He asked breaking the silece. His voice softer and kinder now.

"I did as a teenager, but as I got older I just got used to the fact that I was never going to see them in person, only in that black and white photo." Wolf

said. He now carried that picture around with him, having it almost being destroyed when the three little pigs blew up the trailer that he was living in.

Surprisingly that picture was the only thing that survived.

"What if you were in your parent's shoes?" Mr. Canis asked, now getting a clearer and clearer idea of who his daughter's potential husband was, "would

you have done the same-"

"No." said Wolf quickly and sternly. "I would never do that. I doubt anyone knows what it's like."

"What what's like?"

"Watching all the other orphans being adopted over those long eighteen years. always hoping that a family will come to take you away and take

care of you. We were taken good care of though. Sister Whitetail made damn sure of that. But it was still heartwrenching watching all of your friends

disappear in those cars. Being told every year around open house day that you are supposed to stay in your room. Sister Whitetail would always stay

with me in my room though. She would never talk to the families, that was the job for the other nuns. She was like a mother to me. Weird for her species

because she was a deer and deer and wolves aren't exactly known for having peaceful relationships. But she would always bring me a thing of treats or

cookies and comfort me as I watched all of my friends disappear in those cars. Hoping one day that one of those cars would be my parents."

Mr. Canis remained silent and stared at Wolf for what felt like forever. Finally he asked the one question that Wolf knew he was going to ask last.

"If you are going to propose to my daughter. Why should I trust you to take good care of her and my grandchildren?" he asked with a softer but stern

tone.

"Because I have held down the same job that I have had for almost eight years. I know the good quailites of a husband and what it truly means

to be a father. I do live in an apartment and one day if she wants I hope to end up buying a house. And I will never, ever leave either one of them." At

this Wolf finally looked Mr. Canis directly in the eye, showing his sincerity in that saying.

Mr. Canis rose up from his seat. Looking not angry but satisfied. Wolf got up as well.

"Wolf William Wolf" he said setting down his pipe. "You have proven to me exactly the type of Wolf you are...you are loyal, respecting and caring

about the health, wealth and comfort of my extended family." He held out his paw and he and Wolf both shook. Wolf breathed a sigh of relief. He has his

future fiance's fathers approval. He was able to propose, even though Anna did not realise he was going to propose just yet.

"Now" he said placing a kind paw on Wolf's shoulders. "Let's eat"

And they both walked out of the office.

##############################################################################################################################################

Back in the present, Wolf's eyes were fixed on the ceiling. His muzzle now splattered with grey fur and glasses around his aged eyes. Emily put her paw

on top of his.

"Dad" she said patting his paw.

"Huh?" he said refocusing, he was daydreaming again. Before Emily could say anything, the retelling of his orphaned childhood brought one question that

sounded so dumb but he just needed to know now in this stage of his life.

"Was I a good father?" he asked. He sounded worried, almost scared.

"Yes" Emily said and kissed her father on the side of his muzzle, "You've always done whatever you can for us, even if you couldn't stop what was going

to happen." she said with a soft smile.

Then Jerry, Emily's husband, came into the cabin with his graandchildren, they both came up to him and hugged him wising him a happy birthday and as

he got up to wake up Anna, Emily gently hugged him, "You okay Dad?" She whispered.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just wish my family could have been a little bigger though"Wolf instinctively touched the tattoo on his forearm under his t-shirt. It was

diferent than a human's tatoo in that it also permanantly dyed the fur along with putting the image on the skin. It had a picture of a cross With the words

"R.I.P Timothy W. Wolf 2013-2018".

Comments and reviews are welcome. I have to warn you though, the next chapter is going to be a little sad, so bring tissues. :)


	4. Chapter 4: Timothy

Spring and summer had both passed and the forest was cloaked in a veil of dark red and brown. Pumpkins with carved faces glowed on every step of the trees turned into homes. Children ran past excitedly as they went home for their fall break. Anxiously waiting their night of trick-or treating a few days later.  
>Wolf walked past them all with a feeling of happiness and grief as he watched them zip past him on the paths. He was wrapped in a thick hoodie to protect himself from the autumn cold. His ears covered in a hat peched on top of his head as his former brown-turned grey tail swished along the leaves. That was one thing he missed about being younger than what he was now, even thogh back then he still got cold easily, it was even easier for him to feel downright frozen. Twitchy felt that way too and so did Anna, so he didn't really feel out of place that often. He shifted his glasses and waved at the neighbors that greeted him along. Once regared as a wild card by the HEA, he was now more of the kind old man that everyone loved in the neighborhood. Under his arm he carried a single package wrapped in brown paper that he had gotten from the bakery ealier. Lost in his thoughts, he about fell over when he felt something bump into his backside.<br>"What th-?" he said and calmly looking behind him he saw Chuck, the nine year old beaver boy. He stepped back quickly from him with a ball still clutched in his little paws.  
>"Sorry Mr. Wolf" he said sounding scared as he stared at the ground. "We were playing catch and I didn't see you"<br>Wolf wasn't angry though, he had a soft smile on his face and gently patted Chuck on the back laughing quietly. "Don't worry Chuck, I'm not mad. Now go along and play alright, and stay warm"  
>Chuck smiled at him and ran along down the path to play with the rest of his friends. Wolf sighed contently and kept walking. He reminded him alot of his son Tim, the very person he was headed to see.<p>

(Several years ago)

Wolf walked down the polished hallways of the hospital, its halls accented with pumpkins and ghosts. In his paws was a baloon, a bucket of KFC and a small blanket in his arms as the claws on his feet clicked against the floor. He was actually for once not the person in here as a patient, Anna had just given birth to a healthy baby boy while he was away on a mission just a few hours ago and Nicky had allowed him a few paid weeks off for him to spend time with his wife and baby-boy. He had already come up with a name and was anxious to see what he looked like.  
>He stopped in front of the closed door of the hospital room and took a deep breath. His heart pounded anxiously under his hoodie. He closed his chocolate brown eyes and opened the door.<br>There she was, his wife, his mate, her ears drooped down and the jade green eyes were half closed due to tiredness as she laid on the bed. She looked up at him and smiled, Wolf walked up to the bed and sat down. Staring at the bundle in her arms intently, as if it might just disappear if he dared look away. She laughed quietly at the bucket of KFC in his arms. She had been complaining about the hospital food ever since she had gone into labor. Even though she did work there. "do you want to see your son?" she said handing him the little bundle. Wolf gently put it in his arms and looked at his son. He was still blind, the eyes tightly closed, his fur was a chocolate brown and a streak of darker brown ran down his muzzle. He looked just like his father. He stirred a little as he slept gently, silently. Wolf was too hypnotized by his boy to notice twitchy zipping into the room with a bundle of cards from the HEA. "heywolfcongratsonyourkid. Whatdoeshelooklike?whatshisname?" chattered the hyperactive squirrel as his bushy tail flicked constantly. Wolf didnt even hear him as he sat down next to Anna. "Timothy," he said looking at Anna. "his name is Timothy."  
>As he held the sleeping cub, he realized that this was his chance to raise a son like him. He had no intentions of leaving him come hell or high water. This was his boy, his son. His child. And he will never do anything to hurt him.<p>

(5 years later)  
>The newly-bought log cabin floor was strewn with toys from the little wolf cub running around. It was the dead of Winter and a large glittering Christmas tree sat in front of the large window in the living room. Timmy though, was too busy running around in a brown leather fedora with a note sticking on top of it. An old journalist hat from his journalism days that his father gave to him. The living room was filled with a rush of cold air and falling snow as a bundled up Wolf stomped his feet on the placemat. The good thing about being a wolf is that there is never the need for shoes, his feet were covered like all wolves with a thick fleshy lair on the bottom. As he stomped his feet to get rid of hte snow and brushed some off his head. Timmy came charging and hugged his father. with a shriek of "DADDY!" as he rested his head against the thick jacket.<br>Wolf ruffled the fur on top of Timmy's head, "hey Timmy" he said. Even though he was exhausted, and bruised from a ninjitsu knowing gingerbread man, the sight of his son was always a great welcome home.  
>"Your hut again dad" he said crossing his little arms and a scowl on his little face, "I dont like it when you hut"<br>"It's okay Timmy," Wolf reassured him while picking him up,"I've faced worse than a mean christmas cookie, where's your mother at?"  
>Timmy pointed at the doorway into the kitchen, Wolf put him down and slipped out of his jacket and hung it on a hook. He walked intot the kitchen, which was filled witht he smells of chili being made filled the kitchen as Anna, with a glittering ring on her finger, was busy stirring the ingredients of chili in a large pot. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her middle, kissing her in the side of her muzzle. She laughed, filled a spoonful of chili and turned around ot face Wolf, her green eyes looked tired but they were relieved that he was now home. She lifted the spoonful of chili to his face, where the smell of the chili burned his sensitive sense of smell pleasantly. "taste," she said popping the spoon into his muzzle. He chewed for a little as the sounds of Timmy playing were still heard. After nodding his approval, Anna turned back toward the stove, "you know he keeps talking about you, how you used to be a journalist. I can't get him to stop going on about how he wants to be a reporter just like you were,". Wolf smiled and turned his tired brown eyes to Timmy giving an interview to his stuffed bear, thinking that he might just want some fresh air.<p>

"He looks like he's having some cabin fever," he said with a mischievious look as he walked over to his son from behind and picked him up, with shrieks of laughter coming from him.

"Hey kiddo," he said as he and Timmy rubbed their noses together,"Wanna go outside?"

"YEAH! Let's go dad!" Wolf set him down and put his jacket back on. Anna leaned against the doorway between the kitchen and living room, watching Wolf bundle of his son, and take off outside.

The forest was extremely quiet in the cold night air, the pine trees looked brown against the night sky as the snow blanketed them all, just like in a christmas card. Wolf and Timmy both raced each other outside up a hill a short distance from the house. When the both reached the top, Tim began to build a little mound of snow in front of him using his gloved paws. Wolf watched his son build up his mound with a sense of curiosity, when he could no longer see Timmy, he carefully walked up to it, somehow knowing what he was up to.

"What're you doing Tim-" Wolf said before a snow ball hit him right in the chest, he backed away laughing, remembering how sister Whitetail would always get irritated at him at the orphanage whenever he would do it to people passing by. He ducked and dodged more snowballs thrown by Timmy. Wolf then quickly built up a mound of his own and they both threw snowballs at eachother, each getting in several hits. They carried on and on until they heard the vioce of Anna cracking the quiet air.

"Hey you two! Time for dinner!" she called to them. Wolf leaped over his mound and grabbed Timmy and carried him back into the house.

###########################################################################################################################################

(Two Weeks later)

The christmas decorations were all down, and as they rang in the new year, neither Wolf or Anna felt like celebrating, Timmy laid in bed coughing up a storm, sweat running down his forehead and a bottle of medicine on his nightstand. A doctor held his paw against timmy's forehead, checked his temperature and with a grave look he handed Timmy a sucker and patted his on the forehead, motioning for Wolf and Anna to follow him into the hallwat outside his bedroom. The Wolf parents and the turtle spoke in hushed voices, "so what's wrong?" Anna asked holding Wolf's paw, the turtle sighed and took off his glasses while rubbing his forehead.

"I'm afraid he has pneumonia" he said gravely. Pneumonia at such a young age for a wolf is very serious,"it's not good, his temperature's skyrocketing and the medicine doesn't seem to have much of an effect" Just then they heard the small gasps for air between another coughing spasm,each cough ripped at Wolf's heart and became more and more painful to hear by the minute. When he removed his paws form his mouth he called, "Mom, Dad" in such a small, quiet and frightened voice. When they both rushed in they looked at Timmy's hands and Wolf's heart seemed to fail. Both of his paws were covered in blood. Wolf turned to Anna and saw the tear glittering in her eys as she wiped the blood from his paws and hugging him as tightly as she could. Wolf turned to the doctor still standing in the doorway and shook his head at Wolf, indicating that he probably wasn't going to make it.

"Dad," Tim said as Wolf sat down next to the bed and laid his paw on Timmy's chest. "Yeah, kiddo" Wolf said trying his best to sound happy and not break down in front of him.

"Am I going to get better?" Timmy asked, "Of course you are," Wolf said as his voice began to crack and his eyes began to sting as he ruffled the fur on top of Timmy's head, his face reflecting in his father's chocolate brown eyes, "and you're going to be a great reporter and be just like your dad,". Timmy seemed comforted by this and he got up and hugged his father tightly, even though he was so weak at the time. "I love you dad" he said.

Wolf's ears drooped low and he hugged his son tightly, "I love you too Timothy," he said with a cracking voice, "just remember that no matter what happens, you..will..always..be..my..boy." a few tears ran down his muzzle and onto the back of Timothy, he hugged him tightly and with an iron grip as the realization came crashing down upon him that this is the last time he will touch and speak to his son alive.

##############################################################################################################################################

(The next day)

Timothy Wolf laid in the same bed, except, everything was silent, the lights were off in the bright bedroom and the orange light from the setting sun bled through the bedroom windows and shone against the polished wooden floor. Wolf sat next to the bed on which Timmy had entered an eternal sleep, the sheets had been draped over his face. The first time Wolf had seen his son quiet, still, and cold, his arms were folded under the sheets. He had sat there since the sickness had swept the lights from his eyes. He hadn't eaten, he didn't feel like eating, he didn't feel like talking, which was very unusual for Wolf. He just sat there, and stared at the lifeless form of Timmy covered by the white sheet. Anna had to go to her parents house because she was so stricken with grief. Wolf however, didn't speak, he didn't move, he just sat there with the journalist hat that Tim had loved so much. He occasional looked at the photograph on the nightstand. It was a picture of Wolf with his son, Wolf was carrying him on his shoulders, they both were laughing against the clear blue sky and green grassy hill. Timmy was waving his arms and wearing the same type of hoodie that his father always wears, and on his head was the journalist hat with the note sticking on top of it dating back to the goody thief case. A captured frame of a happier time with the child he would never be able to hold and carry again.

Wolf's ears perked at the sound of tennis-shoe covered feet approaching, and his sense of smell picked up a familiar perfume.

She spoke softly to her colleague, "Wolf," she came and knelt beside him while taking his limp paw in her hand. He didn't even look at Red as she hugged him and patted him on the back.

###############################################################################################################################################

(Two days later)

The small brown casket laid in between plush bouquets of flowers. Wolf and Anna both stood beside it. While Mr. Canis sat in the front row comforting his wife. Red, Granny, Twitchy and nick all sat in the middle, after each leaving little gifts for the ice cold wolf cub laying in the polished box. A teddy bear from Red, a notepad with a kids book about news reporting from Nick, and a batch of cookies that Timmy would kill for from Granny. The church was almost filled to the breaking point, Wolf didn't really care though, and as they were giving the final viewing before closing the casket, he heard an even more familiar voice from behind him. Turning around, he saw the elderly face of a whitetail deer in nun's robes. Two rosaries were in her hands. One made out of wood which was her own, and another made of baby boy blue plastic. She had gotten so much older now. Her eyes were soft and behind a pair of glasses now and most of her brown fur had faded to grey.

"Wolf," Sister Whitetail said as she wrapped her arms around him. When she let go, she put her hand on Wolf's shoulders, for the first time in days, with a cracked voice and with unched tears glittering in his eyes Wolf finally spoke again.

"My one chance to be a father, to avoid the mistakes that my parents made, and I messed it up." he said as with each word his ears dropped lower and lower till they were almost flat against his head.

"Now, don't blame yourself for this Wolf William Wolf," she said compassionately but with a hint of sternness,"God does not tell us why he sometimes takes things away from us that we love and cherish, but Timmy can now rest peacefully until you meet again." she said holding his paw and walked over to the casket and laid the rosary next to him. She place her hand on his forehead, "In the name of the Father," she moved her hand to his sotmach, "the Son" and tapped both of his shoudlers gently "and the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the lord Jesus Christ bless and keep you in his kingdom now and forever." she then gave Anna a hug as well.

Later, when they were about to close the casket. Wolf placed his paw on the ice cold forehead of Timmy. "I promise, that every year for your birthday I will visit you. Promise." He then kissed Timmothy's cold forehead one last time and allowed the brown casket to close, preventing him from seeing Timmy's resting face for the rest of his life and watched them carry it away into the awaiting hearse.

###############################################################################################################################################

(Present Day)

The much, much older Wolf now walked past the rows upon rows of stone blocks and hearts and angels on his way to Timmy. He finally found it. It was a small, black-granite little headstone, with a cross above the name as the surface reflected the sun off of it. He knelt down on his wobbly knees and opened the package. It was a small birthday cake, covered in blue green frosting, Timmy's favorite color. He set it down in front of the little black headsotne that read.

Timothy W. Wolf

Born: Ocober 29, 2013 Died: January 5, 2018

_Sleep, thy child, sleep, for a goodbye is never forever _

He patted the headstone gently as his eyes stung with tears, "Happy Birthday Timmy, you have no idea how much your pop misses you."

Thanks for reading, this is the last of the sad chapters for a while.

Please Read and Review


	5. Chapter 5: Happy Retirement

The sun shone through the trees of the redwoods and the shade underneath

the park cast the two friends in shadow, the 76 year-old Wolf and the 72 year-old Twitchy were

both staring hard at the chess board. Wolf leaned on his cane as his eyes

focused on Twitchy's black pieces while Twitchy's grey tail kept flicking

as his eyes, also surrounded by grey fur, darted with dizzying rapididy.

After a long moment in silence, Wolf finally spoke as he moved his knight,

"remember when we used to make fun of the old people playing chess in this

very same park?" Wolf asked with a smile. Twitchy then smiled and moved his

rook to the other side of the board, folded his little arms and declared,

"Checkmate."

"Wait. What?" Wolf said confused looking around and sure enough his king

was cornered, "I still haven't figured out how you always manage to beat

me so fast at this game." he laughed rubbing his forehead. "All in the game

baby" he chirped as he raised a cup to his lips, before it was snatched

away by Wolf's paw. "nah. ah . ah. this aint coffee is it? You know how you

get whenever there's even a drop of caffeine in your system." Wolf said

smelling the contents, after realizing that it was juice he handed back to

his long time friend and partner. " sorry Twitch, I have to keep an eye on

you, I don't want you dying before I do, we're both probably going to kick

the bucket at the same time anyway, we even retired together"

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The fifty-two year old Wolf was sitting at a table decorated with a candle

and little signs that blared "Happy retirement Wolf and Twitchy".

Wolf was not as grey as he is now but there were streaks of it all over his

muzzle and head, he didn't own a cane yet, but the thick black framed

glasses laid in front of his aging brown eyes were there. Anne sat next to

him while the rest of the seats at the table were taken up by Emily, her

husband Jerry and Anna and William, both of whom were only a couple of brown

bundles only a few months old, with one seat right next to him on the other

side was Twitchy, his longtime friend and partner since he was at the

bottom of the journalism food chain. Everyone was wearing their best suits

and ties to honor the occasion of Wolf and Twitchy leaving the agency after

nearly thirty years. They had both achieved the rank of lieutenant, which

meant that they were one level below the CEO, and were both the ones who commanded the field agents and task forces.

Twitchy wasn't immune to aging as well, he was still very energetic for his

age but his fur was more of a tan color than the brown he and Wolf were used to seeing,

and his new arthritis made it very clear to him of his age.

The banquet room was filled with several members of the HEA and their

families, with a few of his friends from journalism college here and

there. On the stage stood Red, now the head of the HEA after Nicky had

retired, she still had her characteristic red hood on, except she always

wore it with a dark red blouse and skirt. She addressed the sea of antlers,

ears, and eyes as she started. "Now that everyone has been fed, we're gonna

get this show on the road, but first I wanna say a few words about our

retirees. Wolf, I remember how the first time I met you when I was thirteen, you thought I was the goody bandit and wanted my basket and as a result of that I

gave a few good kicks to the bottom of your muzzle," she said looking right at the middle aged Wolf, he grimaced and rubbed the bottom of his

muzzle, it still hurts every now and again from just thinking about it. "I still feel it" he yelled up to Red, causing most of the audience to laugh, and Anne to rest

her head against his shoulder lovingly. Which he returned with a kiss to the top of her head.

"I bet you do Wolf, after we had made amends after the Hansel and Grettel case. We were made permanent partners in the HEA, and for almost twenty

years we both cracked cases, we both dodged gunfire from the blood clan, we both were put under spells and trusted each other with our lives. On that same

note, you probably have more visits to the hospital and sick wing than anyone in HEA history, I don't know how you kept your sanity Anne." Red said to Anne

as Wolf kissed her again while feeling the faint mark across his neck where the blood clan had tried to hang him. And Anne nudged her muzzle against her

husbands.

"Don't get me wrong Wolf, the only time that you were in there for a non-life threatening reason was when you had to have your gallbladder taken out. Which

made everyone worried. But, in all seriousness" Red said as her typical tough nature began to melt, "even though at first we really didn't like each other at all, if

I hadn't been partnered with you Wolf, I probably would not be here today. We both also had help from our hyperactive little friend, Twitchy, I never thought that

I would ever even see you breathe at a normal pace let alone grow older, and you were always the one with the best timing in some of the worst situations, like

when me and Wolf were both about to be cut up during the Paul Bunyan case. All you had to do was just pour water onto the wires of the giant buzz-saw."

Some of the people laughed, others clapped for Twitchy as he puffed out his little chest. Wolf patted him on the shoulder, remembering him from his days as a

new reporter, he never thought they would be saving each others lives and watching their backs.

Twitchy puffed out his little chest with pride as Red continued to comment on their accomplishments.

"So, without further ado, and I'm pretty sure everyone is tired of me talking, Wolf and Twitchy come on up." She said taking out two wooden plaques with a brass HEA symbol on it. Underneath the symbol said "In recognition of

this agents accomplishments throughout an extensive career. Wolf W. Wolf is rewarded this plaque in recognition of accomplishments and the hope of a happy retirement."

Loud applause filled the banquet hall as many of the animals and humans stood while still clapping for two of the most well-known agents in HEA history.

Wolf and Twitchy had both gotten up from their seats and walked up onto the stage, with Wolf's tail swishing and Twitchy on his shoulders. red gave him a sincere hug and shook Twitchy's paw before they walked onto the

podium.

Wolf adjusted his glasses as he began to speak.

"To be honest, when I joined I never really thought about retiring..that is until I became the only one getting hurt." several people laughed "in fact, most of the staff in the hospital knows me by name. But, I'd like to thank Nicky

flippers, who, well, gave me a job. I'd also like to address my wife Anne, she was the one who really kept me going when I came home every night with bruises or sprains, or ringing in my ears, or bullets in my stomach. And

to my daughter Emily. She was the one who I really stayed in the agency for. After, well, Timmy passed away," his ears flattened a little at even the mention of Timmy, and the audience bowed their heads and kept silent, "we

had her about two years later, and like it was for Timmy it's the same for her. I did what I did for the both of my children. I wanted them to live in a world where they were at least safe from those that want to harm 'em, or cook

them, or whatever I could make list this stuff all day." he said with a wave of his paw with a small chuckle. "But, now I have the full intent to just settle down, watch daytime tv, fall asleep on the couch when I babysit the

grandkids, all that jazz. I also always have either new HEA agents or aspiring journalists even asking for my opinion and advice." he said feeling his name etched into the plaque "It's like the minute I turned fifty I suddenly

became all knowing somehow but anyway. My advice to everyone here, is that you never know what life is gonna throw at you, I thought I was going to be a journalist till the day I die, but then me and Twitchy met each other in

the investigations department and became partners and best friends clear up until now. But just take life in stride and anything that you accomplish feel good about it, don't try to outdo every little thing that you've done or else

you will live in misery. Thank you all for the award, I'll miss most of you." he back away from the podium as thunderous applause filled the banquet room as Twitchy jumped off Wolf's shoulder and came up to the podium and

began to give his thanks to all that helped him.

###############################################################################################################################################################################

Twenty-four years later, the grey and sometimes really achy Wolf was staring off into space as he remembered his retirement. His vision was getting even more dreadful and his hearing was definitely not as good as it was even

when he retired. His cane that he now needed to get up because of his osteoporosis still rested in his paw, feeling the polished wood. Sad, but true. Thought Wolf as he recounted how much he had aged since then. So much

happened after he retired. His grandkids growing up, William was at Woodland University for media studies and Anna had just gotten engaged and was already making preparations for her wedding. he sighed almost sadly at

the fact that: he wasn't gonna be around for much longer, he was definitely up there in the age category, and missed waking up without his bones feeling like they are on fire.

His daughter and grandchildren still come to visit him and Anne regularly at the log cabin he had lived in since he was married. Anne talked about hospice, but they both refused that and the idea of a retirement home. They

were going to live independently until the day they both pass on, something Wolf and Anne promised each other on.

A loud "ahem," snapped back to reality as Twitchy was irritable glaring at him after he had reset the chess board. "Sorry Twitch, got sidetracked" said Wolf with a kind smile as they began to play a new game.


	6. Chapter 6: Love and War

**Now, this one's more violent and longer than the other chapters so far, but it has a lot more romance than the other ones too. **

**There's only about five more chapters left on this, so it's almost done,**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

The Church bells chimed throughout the forest as a large crowd, made mostly of wolves, piled into the church. Father Duran, a turtle, helped the guests into their assigned seats among the sea of various animals and a few humans. In the back, the now seventy-nine year old Wolf was looking at his granddaughter Anna. She had grown so much since she was just that small brown bundle. Now a full grown female, she was being married off today. He flowing white gown was almost blinding in the lights as she made her hair. Wolf, who was sitting in a chair in the corner watching, was snapped out of his memory day dreaming by Anne.

"Wolf sweetie." She said rubbing his shoulder bringing him back to earth. "Hmm? Oh, Yeah?" he said as he adjusted the glasses on his muzzle. He now depended on his cane to walk, and his eyesight was growing more and more unfocused by the year and the ringing in his ears kept getting louder and louder. Anne was no exception either, she no longer had the silky black fur that had enchanted her husband for so long, now her fur was a sleek pepper-grey, but _he_ still loved it. She had glasses too, but she didn't need a cane though. Mainly because she didn't suffer as many injuries as he did. "Honey, the ceremony is about to start." She said handing him a small black container and fixing his tie. "Oh, heh, sorry hon, almost forgot. Old age." He said with his characteristic smirk before kissing his wife and slowly standing up and walking over to Anna. He was now face to face with her. Her brown fur contrasted beautifully with her dress as she smiled and hugged her grandpa. Being careful not to hurt his now problematic back. "Hey, grandpa, what's up?" she said with her paws still on his shoulders. Wolf was bursting with pride at how much his granddaughter had grown up. "Seeing as I'm still the alpha male of the family," he said looking back and smirking at Anne, who pushed her paws in a "go on" gesture. "Anyway, seeing as how I'm still the alpha male of the family, your' grandma can't present you with any heirloom. Which is, of course custom to our species. And you will be breaking away from mine to make your own with your new husband, I want you to have this to pass down to your children and grandchildren, and great-whatever grand kids." He said holding the small box in front of her. He opened it up and watched as tears of happiness began to form in her eyes as she saw what it was. It was a pure silver bracelet. With many intricate designs on the face of the silver and in between some of the designs were either diamonds or aquamarine stones. The stone belonging to march, the month Anna was born. She hugged her grandfather tightly. "Oh, grandpa, you didn't have to" she said quickly wiping away the tears so as not to mess up her appearance. Wolf gently took the bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist.

"Hey, don't cry, you don't want to mess up your makeup" Wolf said, knowing that it was tears of happiness. "This is for you to hand down through the ages. Treat it with respect." He said hugging her one more time. She was sill shorter than him, "I never had any kind of heirloom." He said smiling to her, "but, I do know the value of one." He said as Jerry. Who now showed signs of his age as well, came forward to lead Anna down the aisle to receive the sacrament of marriage.

"Come on Anne, let's go find our seats." He said with a look of pride and relief as he and Anne held paws on their way to their seats.

As Wolf watched her be led down the aisle towards the altar. He thought about his own wedding and how he had to literally fight to get there.

The much younger Wolf strapped on the heavy black Kevlar vest over his stomach and chest. Ever since being shot in the stomach he isn't taking any more chances, and the HEA now requires that all field agents where them due to an increase in violent resistance among the suspects. Wolf knew that first-hand. He snapped on the Velcro and reached down towards his jet black, agency-issued AK47. Ever since the suspects have started attacking, and even killing one, agents, they had to step up their tactics, moving away from tear gas and stun rifles to flash bangs and hardcore lead. It has been about two years since he was shot, and he was still at the top of his game. He was a little irritated because the mission Nicky had them going on didn't require him using a disguise. Something he always loved doing and liked to drive his then girlfriend Anne nuts with. He loved watching her freak out every time he would show up on her door step dressed either as an inspector wanting to take a look at the pipes, or showing up at the hospital she worked at as a surgeon and luring her into a room convincing her that they have a patient that has a ridiculous situation. Frederick Cannis always saw through his disguises, a fact that kind of actually worried him, but Frederick surprisingly has a sense of humor and let him get away with it. Anne also stopped falling for his disguises after a while and came up with ways to actually detect him. She would look at his eye color, the dark brown stripe going down his muzzle and his unique scent. She had described it to him as smelling like a mix between fallen leaves in the autumn and a minty type of smell. Something he had worked with Anne to cover under the promise that he wouldn't use it on her.

Putting the shoulder strap to his weapon on, he felt underneath his vest for the small little box he had retrieved earlier that day. It was an engagement ring, and he was going to propose to her tomorrow. Hence the reason why Wolf was more than happy to put on the vest. He slipped the dark grey helmet on top of his head and slipped his ears through the holes at the top. Luckily he didn't have antlers to worry about, like poor Jeff. He always had a hard time putting on his tactical gear. That is, until he was the first agent to be killed in the line of duty.

Red Pucket also took the incident pretty hard. She was the one who had to shoot the witch who had killed him with some sort of spell. He felt sorry for his family, he had a wife and three kids.

Snapping from his train of thought, he walked over to Red, who had just turned eighteen, and gave her a few pats on the back. "You okay Hood?" he asked not sarcastically but actually seriously. She turned and smiled at seeing her partner who was so used to disguises now wearing something that a SWAT team does. She was no exception either. But she carried an M4, an eighteenth birthday present from Granny.

"Yeah, I'm fine Wolf. Thanks" she said with a smile as she put her red hood over her helmet and vest. As Wolf turned to walk away. Red noticed the brown bulge in his pocket. "Hey Wolf, what's that?" she asked, she never seen something that small as part of the their tactical gear. "That's not a disguise is it? You know we aren't undercover and you remember what happened last time you unnecessarily put on a disguise? Remember the Hansel and Gretel incident that happened two year ago?" she asked putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I remember….good times." Wolf said dreamily with a laugh.

"so what is it?" asked Red, getting curious, something that always drove Wolf insane because she was somehow able to get him to do anything when it came to information. "It's nothing" Wolf said nonchalantly, Red persisted, "come on, what is it old man?" she asked playfully elbowing his side. "I'm only 30" he said a little offended. He actually didn't really look like he was in his thirties at the time. All the exercise that accompanied his training really helped him keep a good appearance. "You really want to know?" Wolf asked looking around to make sure that Anne wouldn't somehow jump own from the vents. "You have to promise me not t tell anyone." He said seriously, "Promise," she said snapping her helmets' straps as Wolf took out the small package. He opened it to reveal the engagement ring. Red gasped at it. It was made of a mix between gold and silver, it looked like two bands, one gold one silver, in the middle of the band were three diamonds, six would be added to it when it became their wedding band, that is if she said yes. "Wow…Wolf, wha-?"

"I'm gonna ask her tomorrow night, I'm taking her out to eat and we'll go to the park by the river and that's where I'll pop the question". He said with pride while snapping it shut and putting it securely back into his pocket. "I wish you luck Wolf" She said giving him a hug, being careful not to accidentally make his weapon fire. She then walked away and went to find Twitchy, he found him at one of the many dispatch computers, he now served as the main recon person of the agency, which included dispatching unmanned drones over shady areas and communicating with the local police force. " 'Sup Twitch?" Wolf said taking a seat next to him as he clacked away at the specially small keyboard. "Notmuch,I'mdoingreconoverthesuspectedc hocolatefactorytodetermineth ebestpossiblewaytogetin,whichisthroughtheroof,itisnotasheavilyguardedandwi llgiveyouguystheelementofsur prise..andniceengegmentringWolf!" he said, Wolf, somehow understanding his hyperactive friend, did perk up his attention to Twitchy after he said something about an engagement ring.

"Hey! How do you-?" He asked before being interrupted by Twitchy. "I'mpartofrecon,Icancontrolanycameraintheage ncyandcanlisteninonconversat ions" said Twitchy swiveling around in his chair and pressing a button on the keyboard , which immediately showed the footage of Wolf and Red talking, ending with him pulling out the engagement ring. Twitchy however, pressed 'delete' on the computer and Wolf watched as the clip was wiped out from the computer. Wolf smiled as he and Twitchy bumped fists. He walked away from Twitchy while putting the last bit of his equipment on, including ammunition, two flash-bangs, and a taser in case he would be in hand-to-hand combat. As he was fixing his night vision goggles on top of his helmet, he walked into another part of the lobby in the agency. This was a mix between a sad and happy place for everyone. This area is where all the agents could talk to their friends and families (mostly families) before they went on any kind of mission. Especially this one. Agents were either just talking to their wives (no women except Red and Granny were allowed to become combat-active). Some of them were crying, thinking of the chance that they would never see them again, some would be hugging their kids and giving them heirlooms such as a necklace that they always wore or something like that. Wolf lifted the goggles so that they weren't over his eyes when he saw his girlfriend/future fiancé Anne sitting in one of the chairs.

She nervously got up and hugged him after Wolf made sure the safety on his AK was on. They both kissed as they embraced for a few seconds. They finally separated. Her green eyes were filled with worry, and her tail was nearly tucked between her legs. She didn't like seeing him in his combat gear, it always made her nervous and frightened for his safety. Wolf smiled sweetly and lifted her chin so she met his chocolate eyes gently. "hey," he said softly while stroking her chin with his thumb, "don't worry, that crazy short-kid always knows what he's doing, and I have a secret weapon," she lightened up a little, "and what's that?" she asked as she held his paws. "my vest isn't HEA issued, it just has the logo on it. It's actually one of those really thick bullet and knife-proof vests that U.S spec-ops use. Don't tell Nick, Granny, or Red. They'd be pissed." he said lightly laughing.

She smiled at that and kissed her boyfriend once more before he had to leave her. He wave at her one more time before he walked out the door and climbed into the HEA helicopter. There that crazy kid that he was talking about was waiting for them. That kid scared him sometimes.

The kid, named James, was about five foot four inches tall, a midget compared to Wolf, who was about six feet. He had messy brown hair, and a slightly muscular and thick build. What kind of scared Wolf about him was that first he was only nineteen, second, he was probably the most violent person Nicky ever hired, and he was part of an armed militia group who fought against a group of people who kept trying to harm the animals whenever they moved into a human community. They never negotiated, just adjusted their gun sights whenever there was a disagreement. He wasn't wearing the normal gear that everyone else was, instead he was wearing an old camouflage jacket, a pair of baggy blue jeans, combat boots, and was never seen without his black baseball cap. The smoke from his cigarette filled the copter as it started to take off. He stood at the front facing everyone, and acted indifferently to the animals that covered their sensitive noses against the potent smell of the cigarette. He flicked some of his ashes onto the floor and held it in his mouth before putting his wild-west style revolver in its holster and loading up his own AK, his didn't have any of the sights or flashlights on it like the ones the agents had. He was also the one that trained most of them how to use their new, lethal means. 'boy wasn't that a _fun_ time?' Wolf thought to himself ignoring the burning sensation in his nose from that damn cigarette.

"All right," he said flicking the cigarette out of the large door of the chopper, "Do we all know the objective?" he asked looking around at the animals and human in front of him. "Well, let me remind you just in case, we are here away from the forest to stop an overnight operation of the 'blood clan' I know, their name sucks but they've been some nasty sons of bitches lately." Silence except for the chopper and communication of the pilots. "As you all may know this is the group who have so far been responsible for the hate crimes against the animals moving into predominately human communities. Some of you may know about them, they've been burning their houses, breaking into their homes and stealing random shit, and just randomly attacking any intelligent animal they see, just for sport. They've also been going to their workplace and either attacking them or threatening them any way that they can. They believe that humans should be the dominant race, well, that's why the resistance is letting _you guys _have 'em. Because we all know how much love them and they love you." Some nervous laughter filled the chopper as James lit another cigarette. 'damnit' Wolf thought covering his nose and glaring at him. " Now, the resistance along with the rest of the HEA have been pushing them back into the outskirts of the big city. Recon alerts us that they've been hiding in this large abandoned warehouse, intelligence tells us that they've been planning something they call 'fun night' which is where they basically terrorize all animals they find in their area late at night when they're asleep. Our main objective is first obviously to prevent this from happening and second, we plan on taking out a very high valued individual, goes by the name of the Red Knight" James watched as some of the animal agents shuddered at his name, "he's their head honcho. If we take out him and the rest of his little whores in this warehouse, we take out the blood clan. Got it?" he asked, they all nodded, some cocked their weapons in response. Some kept silent as they made their way to the dimly lit warehouse.

Inside, the blood clan were getting their trucks and assortment of weapons ready for their night of fun. The Red Knight, their leader was actually a man to be very cautious of, tall, bald, muscular and covered in tattoos, he struck fear into the hearts of not only their furry victims, but of his own comrades as well. He bore a few good knife scars from when he and James had met a few weeks ago near the outskirts of the forest. James almost finished him too. He was called the red knight because he always wore a red colored Kevlar vest and metallic biker helmet, giving him the appearance of a knight.

Outside, the two guards on the roof were standing their smoking when they heard the helicopter motor, they turned to look at it before they were taken out by the two sharpshooters sitting on the side doors, the helicopter lowered and the HEA agents one by one jumped out and waited for their comrades while keeping watch on the door leading to the roof. When they had all gotten out, the helicopter went to a safe but effective location in case it was needed, James jumped out last and pointed to Red and Wolf, "you two will each take a team, and I'll take a team, our best bet is to go down that staircase" he pointed at the door, "I don't think they heard the chopper, they'd be all over the place if they knew, so we should still have the element of surprise. Just one more thing before we take off, be careful, these guys aren't like Hansel and Gretel, they WILL kill you if they get the chance. Make sure everyone gets back home tonight. Lets move!" he yelled as he, Red and Wolf led squads down those stairs, they ended up on the catwalks surrounding the main floor of the warehouse. They still didn't notice them. Red and James's squad each took off in different directions, wolf motioned for each agent to line up on the catwalk, where they could see their parked trucks, Wolf counted down from five and then, he fired the first shot, it echoed and was lost as the rest of the agents opened fire, taking out the tires and engines of the trucks. The blood clan members scattered each grabbing a weapon, they fired blindly at the catwalk, making some of the agents back off from the sparks as bullets went all over. The heard someone yell "HEA!" as the abandoned their trucks and fallen brothers behind, Wolf took a shot and got one in the back as he and a group of them tried running down a hallway. "Zip-line NOW!" wolf yelled as eh and the rest of the agents zipped down to ground level. They ran down a hallway to the left as the warehouse was flooded with the sounds of gunfire and yelling. A loud blast suddenly made Wolf's world ring and seem hazy, a one of their trucks nearby blew up, causing a fireball to rip through the warehouse. Making Wolf fall flat. He slowly crawled to a corner when he lost sight of the rest of his squad. And he couldn't hear the radio communications either. He was worried that he was blind when it slowly went back to normal. He noticed the gunfire getting more and more distant, and heard Red's voice shout "THEY'RE RETREATING, KEEP FIRING!" he mentally shook himself when he saw no one was around. He got up by so had the breath knocked out of him by a large forearm. He fell backwards and felt his arms and legs pinned down. "Think you filthy animals can get ME?!" he heard a hoarse voice whisper in his ear, it was the Red Knight. Wolf knew he was in serious trouble, there were no other agents around, and he was pinned to the floor by this maniac. His heart stopped and his eyes widened when he saw the Red Knight pull out a coil of rope.

Wolf would try to respond or yell for help but every time he opened his muzzle, he was hit in the chest again, one of them knocking off his helmet. He kicked and flailed as much as he could when another of the blood clan members showed up, probably to help him escape. The Red Knight tied the rope around his thin neck and wrists as his partner held them together. He tried to yell again, but was hit in the chest again, even harder, making him gasp for air as the Red Knight flung the rope over a piece of metal above them. "If I'm gonna go out, then this dog is going with me." He said as Wolf felt the rope tighten against his neck, still flailing, he felt pressure and pain as he was rose up a little at a time while the Red Knight taunted him, "too bad your little agency friends cant help ya now!" he said laughing, Wolf could only touch the ground with the claws on his feet, his breath was slowing, his world was starting to fade, and the rope was digging into his neck. Just then he heard a loud "POP!" he then fell back to the ground and landed on his face, coughing and gasping now that he had barely escaped being hanged. He looked up and saw the Red Knight's comrade laying on the ground with a pool of blood forming around the back of his head. He then saw a pair of black boots run past him and heard several punches and kicks. He used the claws on his feet and cut the rope tying his hands together and untied the noose that just nearly took his life. He got back on his feet looking for his gun when he saw James and the Red Knight fighting. James kicked him several times in the groin as the Red Knight plowed him into a wall. If he could only find his weapon. He found the black wild-west revolver that belonged to James. The metal was still hot and smoking when Wolf saw what happened next. James spat in his eye and Wolf only caught a glint of metal coming out of the sheath on his jeans before it disappeared into the Red Knights throat. He sputtered and gagged as the sounds of agents running towards them was heard. James then saw Wolf, as the Red Knight fell to his knees, James walked up to Wolf, snagged his pistol from his paws, and with the rest of the agents watching, walked up to the Red Knight pointed his pistol at him, cock back the firing pin and said.

"Remember the last time we met, when I almost got your ass but you got away? Well guess what, your ass is mine!" and then a deafening POP echoed as blood sprayed from his face when the pistol fired. The Red Knight fell to the floor dead as James put the pistol back into its holster. He walked up to Wolf and held out his dirty, blood-soaked hand, "need help old-man?" he asked. James and Wolf did actually get along pretty well, and James always joke with Wolf calling him old man because he was now about twenty-nine. He took James' hand as Red came up to him, the sounds of the chopper returning echoed through the warehouse. Now mostly filled with burning trucks and bullet casings, Red looked over him and saw the dark red line going around his neck. "What happened?" she snapped turning to James, who was too occupied trying to light yet another cigarette. Red and James didn't get along however, and they didn't exactly keep it secret from each other either.

"They tried to hang me," Wolf said rubbing his throat, that was going to leave a mark. He picked up his helmet and joined the rest of the agents as they made their way up to the helicopter. Wolf watched his squad enter before he climbed in too. With James climbing in last. Wolf was exhausted, Red sat next to him to make sure he was okay, "Anne's gonna wonder about that mark you know." She said looking at the friction burn on his neck, Wolf half-opened his chocolate brown eyes, which were glowing inside the dark helicopter, "yeah," he said groggily, feeling in the pocket of his vest to make sure that the ring was still there, "she might, but she'll at least be happy I wasn't shot…again." He said playfully elbowing Red in the shoulder, referring to when he was shot in the stomach two years ago. They kept silent for a while, with Red snapping at James for smoking in the helicopter again when smoke blew near her, at which he venemously said "would a simple thanks for saving your friend's ass would be too much?" she then just huffed and rolled her eyes at him, and she muttered, "hope you enjoy your cancer," at which James just murmured just loud enough for her to hear "bitch,". The rest of the agents didn't really do anything when Red and James got into it like this, it was actually becoming something of a mission ending ritual, seeing the both of them work together great during an actual mission, then being entertained on the way home as they went back to going at each other's throats.

Red looked at Wolf, who had taken off his helmet and vest, cooling him off as he was glistening from sweat under his fur. He laid his head back against the seat, and would normally have just announced "children, play nice," when James and Red frequently got close from slitting each others' throats. But he was too tired, 'let 'em fight' he thought to himself with a sigh and folding his hands over his chest.

Noticing that he didn't breakup Red and James snapping at each other…again, Red looked at him strangely. He was breathing deeply, and his eyelids were sealed shut and despite the noise from the helicopter, she could hear him softly snoring in his seat. That's when she saw James "accidentally" flick cigarette ashes in her direction. Which gave the rest of the agents another show.

The next day, Wolf and Anne were both sitting together at Pappi's bistro, one of the more elegant places to eat at in the forest. Wolf wore his signature blue hoodie, a black t-shirt and grey pants, as well as a baseball cap. Anne wore her casual blue jeans and green sweatshirt, really bringing out the color in her eyes. They sat across from each other at the wrought-iron table outside, the birds still chirping happily as the sun cast its last rays for the day across the forest. Wolf frequently kept feeling the pocket of his hoodie to make sure that the ring was still there, and kept feeling the still-present mark on his neck. Anne kept looking at him as she ate her Panini, "So, have Red and James actually killed each other yet?" she asked smiling at him. Wolf wiped his mouth with his napkin, "No, not yet," he said laughing as a deer waiter refilled their drinks, "Come on," Anne begged playfully leaning up closer to her boyfriend, "what's this 'surprise' you keep telling me about?" she asked as Wolf finished his food. "You'll find out, honey." He said softly flicking her nose. After a little bit, they got their check and Wolf took out some money and put it on the table, the sky had now gotten to a dark purple hue and more and more animals were filling into the bistro, some on dates, others hanging with friends and family. Wolf's heart start to race as he pondered if he should do it now with others watching or when they would be in private. The deer came to collect their payment when Wolf held up his paw, "could you give us a minute?" he asked, the deer nodded curtly and left with an irritated sigh.

Anne had already retrieved her purse and was looking in a small mirror to make sure her jet-black fur hadn't gotten messy, she looked at Wolf after he waved off the waiter, "what's up?" she asked, wondering if her fur-adjusting held him up. "Well, I've actually been meaning to ask you something," he said, his heart thumping in his throat and his paws clenching tightly around the ring as he silently took it out of the box while it was still in his hoodie, luckily Anne didn't notice.

"Well, I've just noticed that we've been dating for about two years now," he said as his free paw removed his hat and scratched the fur on top of his head, an undercover way of hiding him taking off his hat, "yeah, and surprisingly my dad hasn't scared you away yet." She said laughing, this made Wolf laugh as well but in a nervous way.

"Yeah, he tried, but he didn't." Wolf said with his casual smirk. "but anyway, seeing as how we've been dating for quite a while and its even gotten to where you stay at my apartment all the time. And you've just always been so sweet, and patient whenever I've had to leave suddenly to go on a mission, and kind, but you definitely have strong character,"… Anne had a feeling about this. "and well, you aren't too bad looking either" he said smiling. Wolf now looked Anne directly in the eyes, something that always really meant business in Wolf customs, and got up. "So, with all of these admirable traits about you," she loved his awkwardness at times. "I was hoping," Wolf now said kneeling down on one knee in front of her, at which most of the animals and some humans in the bistro stopped talking and looked at the couple. Wolf took the ring out of his pocket and watched as Anne's eyes fogged up, he didn't understand why females cry when happy, but he could tell she wasn't angry or upset with him, "that you, Annabelle Joyce Cannis, would grow old with me as my lawfully wedded wife." He held the ring closer to her. It was silent for about the longest few seconds in history, every eye focused on Anne. She looked at the ring, then back at his pleading eyes. And yelled, "YES! YES!" She then flung herself onto her now fiancé. The bistro erupted with cheers and applause as they both embraced and locked their muzzles together. Both wolves felt like the happiest animals on the face of the earth right now. They were both going to get married, maybe even start a family. All that mattered to Wolf was that he was going to live out his days with the she-wolf he truly loved.

Back in present day, the now seventy-nine year old Wolf, with a bad back, horrible knees, degrading eyesight and much more easily tired, watched as his granddaughter proceeded down the aisle of the church, her hand in Jerry, her father's arm. Wolf and Anne got cozy to each other as they remembered their own wedding day, which took place in this same church. He looked down at her, her grey-streaked fur shining in the light of the candles. He gently kissed the top of her muzzle as their tails swished slowly in affection.

Anne looked up at her husband, still thin, still a smart mouth with a constant quick wit, and still as kind and sweet as he was when she met him for the first time while he was half-passed out in the hospital. She still enjoyed looking into his warm chocolate brown eyes and adored the now little tuft of white fur under his chin, making it look like he was growing a beard. Her father had that too, but she liked Wolf's more, loving to run her claws through it, which sometimes did irritate him when he was trying to work on some paperwork, but when he wasn't it helped him relax and melt in her arms. She thought to the time they had their own wedding, and when she had Timmy, and then Emily, then to the times when they would argue, when they would make each other mad, happy, upset, worried, and every other emotion they could think of. And as she remembered the evening that she had that glistening ring held up to her, she still to this very day would have said yes.


	7. Chapter 7: Eternal Promise

**Sorry it took so long, been busy with college and the holidays. Enjoy (NOTE: IT'S A SAD ONE TOO)**

Wolf stretched his elderly limbs across the couch with a yawn as the t.v went on and on. Putting his feet up on one of the arms of the couch as he folded his hands on top of his head. The smell of baking flared from the kitchen into the living room where Wolf was half snoozing-half watching prompting his brown eyes to shoot open and with a grunt, grab his cane and get up from the couch. Fixing his glasses as he walked into the kitchen. Anne and his granddaughter Anna were both sitting at the kitchen table as Anna pulled out a tray of snickerdoodles, her specialty. "Hey Papaw," she said giving him a light kiss on the side of his muzzle. He plopped down onto one of the old wooden chairs at the table next to his now 20 year-old grandson William, who was wearing a black "WOODLAND CENTRAL RAILWAY" hat and had a glass rosary dangling from his right hip. Lightly giving him a punch on the shoulder as he settled down.

Anne then came in, her fur now completely dark grey from her age. She now also walked on a cane and had an ornate pair of glasses with a golden chain on it perched on her muzzle. "Told you it would get him up." She said smirking at her husband before she too kissed him, except it was on the lips. "So how was your nap hon'?" she asked helping Anna with the cookies. "Alright, if I hadn't smelled you guys baking I would probably have fell back asleep to be honest with you…you know how the cold effects me." He said leaning back a little, prompting William's attention, to make sure his grandfather didn't hurt himself…again.

"Oh, I know…freezing out there!" she said warming her paws with the open oven. What they meant is that whenever Wolf or Anne got cold now all they wanted to do is just spend the whole day snuggling together under some blankets. Taking in each others warmth. Wolf stopped leaning so he doesn't bother William too much, even though he was notorious for doing that, just ask Red. "So, what've you been doing while I was semi-hibernating?" Wolf asked Anne as she herself took a cookie and began to munch on it.

"Well," she said "Met Tasha Grizzly today at the store. Visited Red for a little bit, and met James at the-"

"Tobacco store?" Wolf asked smiling, "Yup," she said laughing lightly as she ate the rest of her cookie.

"Got off of work about three hours ago," William said looking at his watch. "We have a new person, some old-timer-"

"-Hey!" Wolf said "I'm old too!" Wolf said indignantly.

"I know Papaw, but this guy…" William said almost clutching his fist. "He used to be in the Air Force, worked as the maintenance manager at some paper plant and now works on the line."

"So?" Wolf asked, actually interested as he munched on a snickerdoodle.

"Well that's not the issue Papaw." William said. "The problem is that seeing as how he was a manager, he thinks he knows everything there is to know about everything. And he's a human as well. So he acts he's so up and mighty…and I swear if he whistles at me again like a dog I'm knocking his teeth in." William said taking a deep breath.

"Sounds like Ted Grizzly." Wolf said taking another snickerdoodle. "Sounds like an ass to me." His sister said crossing her arms. "Well, you don't want to get into a fight with him, you might lose your job and all." Anne said soothingly.

"Well that's okay, he's getting a big surprise tomorrow. He thinks he's going to be the line manager, he's not."

"Oh?" Wolf said. "Nope," William said as his sister Anna handed him another cookie. "Jake is." He said. "and the reason why is because he has an actual college degree and the new guy blatantly stated that he will only be hiring military vets. That didn't set well with the boss. And Jake told me that just to piss off the new guy, he will only hire people who are actually college educated and will only hire like one or two vets." William said.

Wolf started laughing hysterically when he heard that. Wiping a tear of laughter from his eye, he leaned back in his chair again. "That reminds me, how is Ted doing anyway? Last time I heard Tasha was putting him on a diet." Wolf said to Anne a she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"hey, I wouldn't poke fun at that, I'm tempted to do the same to you." She said laughing a bit as she rubbed her husband's stomach. It wasn't big, it was just a "spare tire" barely noticeable unless he tucked in his shirt.

"Hey, I'm not fat…yet. And besides you're cooking caused it." He said laying a paw on his stomach. "But anyway, how's Ted doing?"

"Well, not too good, he's now got alzheimers." She said.

"Oooh," he said, suddenly feeling bad for the arrogant ex-police chief. That actually got Wolf thinking, he realized he was now ninety years old. He was getting close. He watched Anne talk to Anna and the thought of either him leaving her alone or the other way around seemed to shake him up inside. There still so much he needed to say and do before he goes, what if he gets Alzheimer's? What if he just has a stroke in the middle of the night, what if his beloved Anne falls?

The sudden realization of his stage in life seemed to hit him like a wall of bricks. Even more so than when he lost his best friend.

Sixty-Years Earlier

The much younger Wolf W. Wolf was in the back of his trailer in the woods, not even thinking about a cane or pair of glasses as he navigated himself around the make-shift dark room for the pictures him and Twitchy would get for their reports. Right now he was still working on the Goody bandit case. He was only wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants as he pinned a photo onto the clothesline where several others were. He just got back from talking to a goody-shop owner who was just hit by the bandit this morning, the white-tail deer had given his story to the "food-magazine article writer" about his shop and everything about his shop. Personally Wolf could definitely tell that he tested out every one of his recipes, and had to hold his tongue about needing fewer goodies. He stepped back from the several shops and the girl in the red hood. Who was getting his interest. Just then his thought was broken by rapid knocking on his door, Wolf went to the front of his trailer and opened the door only to see a brown blur zip past him, used to it, he closed the door and went to the back where Twitchy was going on like a machine gun about his newest photos.

"HeybossIgotsomenewphotos,youremembertheoneshop?WellIgotpicsofitaswellassome moreofthepucketshop,notseeinganythingsofar!Youliekthem?Icouldalwaysdotheminblackand whiteforthepaper!" Wolf smirked at Twitchy, understanding at lest a third of what he was saying. "That's okay Twitch." Wolf said coolly as he walked in and shut the door. Twitchy handed him some of his newest photos and pinned them to the wall. "These are good Twitch. What would I do without you?" Wolf said to Twitchy, the both of them giving each other a high five.

"WhenIgetold,Iexpectyoutotakeofmeheh!" Twitchy said.

"You got it buddy!" Wolf said.

He never forgot that; even as they both got older.

Fifty Years Later

Wolf, who was now eighty years old, and his fur was now as grey and faded as it was now, his chocolate brown eyes peered from behind his glasses as he read a magazine. The both of them were sitting outside of the wooden log cabin in the middle of the warm spring. Wolf was sitting in one of the wooden rocking chairs and Twitchy was in a specially smaller chair next to him. Twitchy was also reading the newspaper. Wolf looked over from his magazine to look at his old time friend. His fur was now a faded sand-like color and his eyes were now behind a pair of glasses and he too needed a cane to get around. And he no longer talked a million miles an hour. So far Wolf had kept his word and took care of his long time friend as they both got old and retired from the Agency. Wolf's t-shirt made the tattoo of Timmy's name on his right forearm visible in the warm spring sun. Twitchy kept wincing every now and then. Wolf was starting to get a little worried for his friend. He pretended not to notice, but Wolf kept looking over at the eighty-three year old squirrel. Twitchy had been living with Wolf and Anne ever since he retired along with Wolf. He had his own room which was one of the three bedrooms in the cabin, next to Wolf's own room. Anne didn't mind Twitchy being around, and understood her husband's real desire to have him there all the time out of fear of leaving him alone.

"Anyhting interesting in the paper little buddy?" Wolf asked looking over from his magazine.

"Notreally,thewhitetailkidmadeeaglescou t." Twitchy said.

"Ben's kid?"

"Mhm"

"Bet he'd be proud." Wolf said, remembering Ben the first HEA agent to actually be the first casualty in a mission.

"Where'dAnnego?" Twitchy asked.

"Uhmm, good question actually." Wolf said looking around. She was most likely still taking her bath. "Ah well." Wolf said getting comfortable and adjusting his glasses.

Wolf looked again when he saw Twitchy wince again, except this time he laid a paw on his little chest. He was getting a little worried now. "Heartburn little buddy?" Wolf asked Twitchy. "Yeah, must've been the hot wings we had last night." Twitchy replied.

Just then the elderly squirrel clutched his chest yet again and this time he let go of his newspaper. Wolf then was worried, he put down his magazine and looked at his longtime friend. "Twitchy? Are you okay? You don't need to hide anything from me. I'll always take care of you. Never let you down."

Twitchy looked at Wolf again, he opened his mouth to say something, but he clinched his eyes and collapsed on the porch floor with a thud.

"Twitchy? TWITCHY!" Wolf then jumped to his feet and knelt down next to Twitchy, who was unconscious. Anne came out onto the porch. "Wolf? What's going on?"

"Anne! Call 911! I think he's having a heart attack!" Wolf yelled to his wife. She then ran inside and dialed 911.

Hoodwinked!

A few days later, Wolf walked into a quiet and dim hospital room, where a tv was showing the news and Twitchy was laying down on a smaller sized bed, a heart monitor was beeping loudly. He had just talked to the doctor about his friend. It wasn't good news, sadly, Twitchy didn't have long and Wolf was told to remain positive when he talked to him.

Twitchy was awake, and smiled at Wolf as he sat down next to him. In with him came Red, no longer wearing the red hood, she was in a business outfit. She had taken Nicky Flipper's place when he retired from the agency. Her brown hair was streaked with grey and some wrinkles had started forming. She sat down on the other side of Twitchy. She tried not to knock down any of the get well soon cards and flowers.

"How ya' doing Twitch?" Wolf asked him, struggling to keep his characteristic smirk.

"I'm feeling fine." Twitchy said quietly, then Red laid a hand on his paw, "That's good Twitchy." She said she then pointed to one of the cards. "That one's from Kirk, he's in Germany right now." She said. Noticing Wolf's ears were flattened and he wasn't really looking Twitchy in the eye, and he'd been pretty much silent, very different for him. Twitchy noticed this too. "Hey Red, could you let me and Wolf talk in private?" he asked gently.

"Sure thing Twitchy." She said giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead and patting Wolf's back gently.

"Wolf." Twitchy said, making Wolf's chocolate brown eyes look into his green eyes. His eyes full of sorrow. He didn't really want to talk that much because he was afraid he might break down.

"Twitchy. I…I-" Wolf stammered.

"None of this is your fault." Twitchy said, the painkillers making his speech slower.

"I know." Wolf said, "But, I just didn't think it would come this suddenly." Wolf said.

"Neither did I, but it's my time Wolf, I want you to promise me something." He said.

"You say it buddy." Wolf said leaning in closer.

"When I go, promise me you won't let me leaving destroy you. You have a wife, an awesome family, a good home. Don't let that go to waste because I have to leave for a while. And you've given me almost a family to be with until this time. I couldn't have asked for a better friend Wolf, and don't forget all the good times we had." Twitchy, the squirrel who was never seen without Wolf by his side, who talked a hundred miles an hour, who took all the pictures when the two of them were journalists and also helped him out when on missions in the Agency, said to his longtime friend.

Wolf, who already had tears forming in his eyes, placed a paw on the squirrels "You got little buddy. I couldn't ask for a better friend either. And you were never almost part of my family, you WERE a part of my family, and you always will be. It's gonna suck; you being gone. But I promise you I will live my life to its best." Wolf said to his friend.

"Thank you Wolf." Twitchy said, "I'm gonna go to sleep now." Twitchy said and Wolf understood the message. He hugged Twitchy the best he could with the IV bags and everything. "Good night little buddy. I'll see you soon." Wolf said before he walked out of the room but not before looking at Twitchy sleep one last time.

Anne was waiting outside the room with Red for Wolf. He was quiet. His lips trembled slightly, "he…he…dying." He stammered out that last sentence and Anne held him up as he just simply lost it. She patted his back as he cried uncontrollably. While Red pulled up a chair for the devastated Wolf.

"Shh…shh." She whispered into his ear. "It's okay…it's okay. He lived a very long and happy life." She said. He heard the light clacking of feet-claws as Emily turned the corner. Wolf sat down and looked at Emily, the tears pouring down from his face. His shoulders kept heaving as he sobbed, taking off his glasses and dropping his cane as it clanged on the floor.

"Oh God Dad!" She ran to him and also held his head. "He-he was m-m-my b-best f-f-f-riend." He whimpered into his daughters shoulder. After about half an hour, they helped him too his feet and picked up his cane as they went to the car to drive him home.

The next morning Wolf got a call from the doctor telling him Twitchy had passed away peacefully in the night.

As Wolf slowly regained from his grief, he himself made calls to the cemetery and made funeral arrangements. Anne asked him if he was okay with arranging the funeral for his best friend. Thinking it might too intense for him to bear.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Wolf said wiping a silent tear from his chocolate brown eye. "It's the least I could do for him."

Present-Day

Wolf sighed a bit as Anna and William kept talking. Anne on the other hand noticed him being a little quiet. She sat down next to her husband, and started rubbing his back, "Wolf sweetie, are you okay?" she asked. Wolf snapped back to earth "Yeah, I'm fine." He said smiling back at her. He looked her right in the eye "You know that I will always love you. Right?" Wolf asked before kissing her. "Yes, I know, and I will always love you."

"So, Wolf" Anne said scooching closer to him. "How does it feel to be the big nine-oh?" She asked, as he was turning ninety years old the next day. "I feel…old" Wolf said sarcastically. "I can feel the clock ticking." Wolf said getting up, grabbing his cane, and stretching.

"Now, don't say things like that honey!" she said laying her paws on his chest. They kissed and Wolf and her went into the living room "So; where's my uhm 'birthday present,' you know, ninety years old. That don't mean we still can't have some 'fun'" Wolf said smirking, Anne laughed and put her finger over his lips, "Now now, not yet. Later." She said with her cat-like grin he loved so much as they went into the living room. So far, Wolf had kept his promise to Twitchy and he was enjoying his life.


	8. Chapter 8: Friendship Survives Time

The warm summer day came to a close at dusk as the lightning bugs lit up the forest and the cicadas made their usual chirping noise around the peaceful log cabin where the 90-year old Wolf sat in a wooden rocking chair next to his wife Anne, who was also in her rocking chair on the porch of the cabin. Anne was knitting some cloth Wolf didn't know what for as he sipped on an sweet iced tea. Wolf then saw a red buick pull up in front of the cabin and a woman around her late fifties early sixties came out of the car, she aged a lot better than Wolf did and still had all of her brown hair and her face was somehow free of wrinkles, Red Pucket got out of the car and walked onto the porch as Wolf greeted his old colleague and friend. "Hey Red, how's it going?" Wolf asked gesturing for her to sit down. "It's been alright, how've you been Anne." Red said sitting down on a wicker chair next to Wolf. Anne looked over her glasses sternly at her husband "_someone _ keeps leaving the t.v on at night when he goes to bed, but other than that, been pretty quiet, had the kids over yesterday." Anne said sweetly to Red, who was basically a part of their family anyway. "How's the Agency?" Anne asked Red, who was wearing a burgundy shirt with black dress slacks, "It's been O.K, working on a few cases as usual. And you Wolf? Still giving Anne a hard time?" Red asked her elderly friend, whose eyes were the same shade of chocolate behind his glasses, despite his worsening vision, "What?" Wolf said leaning in some, "I said are you still giving Anne a hard time?" Red said a little louder, knowing that his hearing wasn't doing much better. "I can barely hear ya Red" Wolf said a little louder, Anne stopped knitting and looked at her husband, "O stop it Wolf, you know you can hear her," Anne said pointing her needle at him, Wolf with a smirk leaned back in his chair putting his paws behind his head, "fell for it." Wolf said with the same smirk as he had when he first met Red during the goody bandit case.

"Jerk," Red said lightly smacking Wolf in the shoulder, "Every time." Wolf said. "You better be careful whipper-snapper," Wolf said running his paws through the longer fur on the bottom of his chin, something all male wolves get when they age, "I aint scared to use this cane." Wolf said with a mock-threat tone holding up his black cane at Red. "Sure you will, Wolf, sure you will." Red said still enjoying wolf's sarcastic attitude. As Wolf turned to Anne to tell her something, Red remembered with a sudden pang, that she was able to hide, something that her granny had said about Wolf and his age.

It was physical training day at the HEA and both agents Red and Wolf were dashing about an obstacle course. Red was in her thirties and Wolf was in his mid forties and didn't even have glasses at the time, and Granny was still in the Agency, though she was head of the field Agent Department. A timer counting down until zero to reach the obstacle course and Granny was on a megaphone yelling at the two agents. "COME ON AGENTS! YOU WANNA LIVE FOREVER! I AINT GETTING ANY YOUNGER HERE! PICK UP THE PACE WOLF!" She yelled at Wolf who was soaked with sweat was panting heavily as he jumped over obstacles alongside Red, they both eventually reached the finish line, Red just breathing more heavily than usual looked over to her canine colleague and saw that he was pretty much gasping for breath, both of his paws on his knees, Red came over and patted him on the back, "come on Wolf, you've done this loads of times," Red said, Wolf looked at Red and said "yeah, cant exactly run around a lot like I used to, you know I am forty-three years old." Wolf said laughing. Wolf and Red got changed and Wolf, whose typical blue hoodie had went missing recently (which Red was pretty sure that Anne had something to do with that) threw on a black hoodie, he threw it over his shoulders and Red who was walking past him heard something metallic clang against the floor as he flung it over his shoulder and zipped it up. Wolf didn't seem to notice as Twitchy at that moment climbed his back and onto his shoulder, Red looked on the floor and saw a circle of black shiny beads and a silver crucifx laying on the floor, she picked it up as Wolf grabbed a newspaper and his briefcase to head home for the day,

"Hey Wolf," the human 21 year old said cathching up with him as Granny came into the room as well talking to some other agents

"Hmm?" Wolf said turning around.

"You dropped something, your…what is this thing?" Red asked handing the rosary to her canine friend.

"Oh, thanks, brat. My rosary." Wolf said putting it back into his hoodie pocket.

"I didn't know you were Catholic." Red said in slight shock, to Red Wolf just didn't seem the type of animal to be religious.

"Really? After me and Anne got married by an old polar bear _priest_ in a _Catholic Church?_ Yeesh, kiddo, I thought you would've made the connection." Wolf said with his usual sarcastic tone as the two walked down the hallway side by side.

"Yeahhe'scatholiceversinceI'veknownhimisntthatrigh tboss?" Twitchy said at lightning speed. "How long have you been catholic Wolf?" Red asked. Not understanding Wolf's buddy.

"My whole life, the orphanage I was raised in is a Church-run orphanage." Wolf said squinting at the newspaper he was trying to read the front page of, it was getting harder and harder for Wolf to see things that were close to him lately, but Wolf of course didn't really want anyone to know that except Anne and Twitchy. Red though, noticed, and she noticed the slight limp he was getting in his right leg.

"Wolf, I think you might need glasses." Red said jokingly, Wolf kind of flushed a bit, "yeah, I think I might, been getting harder and harder to see lately." Wolf said holding out the newspaper farther from his face. As Wolf aged his age somewhat was a little bit of a sensitive topic for the canine agent. Red didn't really know that though when she saw that her friend winced every time his moved his right leg.

"Wolf, what's wrong with your leg? Did you get it hurt today in training or something?" Red asked.

"It's nothing." Wolf said getting a little irritated. "it's just sore, that's all." Wolf said.

"Awww, I can get you a cane if you want, old timer" Red joked innocently enough, however it crossed an unknown line for Wolf.

"I know, I know! I get it, I'm getting old!" Wolf slightly snarled, his brown eyes flaring up. Red never even knew _that_ kind of joke would touch a nerve for her friend. "You know you're gonna get old too Red, so laugh it up while you can. Muffins!" Wolf said stomping off, throwing his newspaper under his arm. Red stopped and watched her friend get in the elevator and disappeared behind the doors. Twitchy had hopped off Wolf's shoulder and got on Red's after he snapped at her.

"He's kind of sensitive to that." Twitchy said explaining his best friend's sudden outburst. Granny then came up behind her granddaughter hearing a little of the commotion in the hallway. Red knew she had kind of hurt Wolf's feelings by saying that.

"Wow, didn't know _that_ of all things would get to him." Red said to Granny, her behive somewhat frizzled from the day's exercise.

"Red, there's something you gotta understand," Granny said softly putting her hands on Red's shoulder's. "Wolfy isn't a Pucket. He's not like you and me. He's going to get elderly, and faster than you think sweetie." Granny said. "He's not going to be very active for much longer, he's getting more fragile, he's gonna get bad vision and hearing, and he's probably going to retire within the next few years Red. So be nice to him while you can. He won't be around forever Red, before you know it Red he'll be gone forever, so treat him nice every chance now while you still can. And he has a pretty rosary." Granny said. "Come on, let's bake him something, you know he likes those chocolate chip muffins." Granny said as a way of suggesting to cheer Wolf up the next day at work.

Those words stuck with Red Pucket as she watched Wolf W. Wolf, the smart-mouth but gold-hearted Wolf get slower and slower, weaker and weaker, more and more sleepy and more and more frail right before her eyes over the next few decades. It took her a minute to see Wolf poking her leg with his cane, as she daydreamed on the porch of the log cabin. "Yoohoo, Earth to Brat. Earth to Brat." Wolf said, he really found a lot of uses for his cane once he got it, often using it to thwack someone playfully when he wanted to, Anne was sometimes tempted to hide it and see what would happen with her husband.

Red jerked back to the present feeling the black metal cane bump against her knee, "Ouch!" Red said putting a hand to it, "my knee's getting fragile now." Red said swiping at Wolf's cane. "HA! Sucks doesn't it?" Wolf said laughing and rocking in his chair.

"Oh stop it Wolf." Anne said in half amusement of her husband's antics. "As I was saying Red, would you like to come in for some chili and coffee, I made the coffee cold, too hot for warm coffee." Anne said sweetly. "And it's my personal recipe chili." Wolf said tempting Red, Wolf had become well known for his special chili, the only recipe Red never knew the secret of. "Oh, yes please, thank you." Red said as the three got up, Red then, rethinking that memory, wanted to say something but didn't know how to say, she followed Wolf who was behind Anne walking into the cabin but before Wolf walked in the front door, Red said "Wolf, hold on." Red said.

Wolf stopped and turned around, he was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans, and a silver cross hung from his neck.

"Yeah what's up-oomph!" Wolf was caught off-guard when Red suddenly hugged her wolf friend tightly, putting her head on his shoulder as she choked back a tear. She hugged him trying to put in so many un-sayable things in one moment. Wolf understood and smiled contently. He returned the hug trying to hold back some emotions as well, he knew full well he personally didn't have much time left. He patted Red Pucket on the shoulder comforting her while he still could.

"You're a great friend Wolf. And I'm sorry if I've done anything wrong to you." Red said squeezing Wolf, Wolf still patted her on the back, while Anne watched silently and pretended to notice nothing as she walked into the kitchen to get out three bowls.

"I forgive you Red, It's okay Red, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay." Wolf said softly still giving Red some pats on the back. They separated as Wolf kept his paws on her shoulders, "Come on, kiddo," Wolf said even though she definitely wasn't a kid anymore "let's eat. I'm starving" Wolf said his stomach grumbling as they walked in the quiet and peaceful cabin.

Please Read and Review! Sorry it took so long to update, been very busy here this year.


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